The role of Oda Mae Brown was not written with Whoopi Goldberg in mind, but Patrick Swayze was convinced she would be right for the part after seeing her one-woman Broadway shows.
The horrific sounds made by the "dark shadows" are really the sounds of babies' cries, played at extremely slow speed backwards.
Patrick Swayze alleged that Sam Wheat was the hardest role he ever played in his career, mainly because he had to be an observer to the action, and not a participant.
Sondra Rubin: Writer Bruce Joel Rubin's mother, who played the nun who faints over the size of the check that Oda Mae endorses.
Charlotte Zucker: Director Jerry Zucker's mother (who has appeared in many of the Zucker brothers' movies) plays the bank officer.
Susan Breslau: She is Jerry Zucker's real-life sister, and has a cameo playing the character Susan, named after her.